This Fired Federal Worker Wants His Colleagues to Fight DOGE
Before DOGE came along, Jonathan Kamens worked on cybersecurity for the VA. Now, he says in an interview with Jacobin, he dreads an avalanche of scams against veterans — and hopes his former coworkers will push back.
Elon Musk delivers remarks in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)
It seems no federal agency is safe from Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — not even DOGE itself.
Two Fridays ago, roughly fifty people were fired from the department, which used to be known as the US Digital Service (USDS) and was, prior to Donald Trump’s inauguration, responsible for working on government-related tech projects: making sure government websites were working well and safe from hackers, for instance. In one case, USDS streamlined and modernized the Social Security Administration’s digital presence to the tune of $285 million worth of taxpayer savings.
One of those fired USDS workers was Jonathan Kamens, a cybersecurity specialist who had worked within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on its digital infrastructure, and who wants to use his story to raise the alarm among the public and galvanize federal workers into resisting DOGE. Kamens spoke to Jacobin magazine’s Branko Marcetic last week. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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